‘Older women carry on – as they always do’: the 2nd week of the #AgeingEqual campaign in a nutshell

Our second #AgeingEqual campaigning week looked at the intersection of age and gender. We touched upon specific issues faced by older women and non-binary people as the consequence of life-long differential treatment because of their gender. But this week was also the opportunity to put wonderfully strong women at the forefront of the fight for human rights! We teamed up again with a bunch of partners and older female activists to stress the additional burden ageism put on the shoulders of women and transgender people. You missed it? Here you go with our weekly wrap-up!

The accumulation of ageism and sexism has devastating effects!

Ageing is experienced in very different ways depending on our diverse past experiences. As we grow older, the impact of these experiences accumulates. Unequal treatments between some groups of the population result in differences in the way those groups age. If women’s pensions are 40% lower than men’s, it is due to life-long differences in pay and working time. 

This second week on ageism and gender introduced the concept of multiple discrimination as some groups of the population experience ageism on top of other discrimination such as sexism or racism.

Experts shed light on the cumulated impact of ageism and sexism

• where older women’s quality of life is profoundly affected by the high gender pension gap
• where women outlive men but are burdened by more years of ill health and where we note a reduction in the investigation of breast cancers with the increasing age of women
• where older trans people may find themselves in a hurry to transition after a lifetime of hiding or in need of special care since the first generation of trans people are now reaching old age
• where the typical informal carers are spouses, daughters or daughters-in-law, aged 45 to 75
• where migrant women face excessive inequalities in access to labour market and pension
• where older women keep silent when they are abused

Absolutely! Women’s unpaid work, discrimination at work & #GenderPayGap lead to gender pension gap & poverty for women in older age. Critical to tackle gender gaps in lifecourse opportunities and rights everywhere to ensure #AgeingEqual @womeninGH @Age_Int https://t.co/evfERWiewn

— ann keeling (@annvkeeling) October 13, 2018

Historias de personas mayores trans que son muchas veces quienes han construido lo que hoy hemos alcanzado y q sin embargo muchas veces son ignoradas cuando nos centrarnos en l*s más jóvenes. https://t.co/1PNEvo3SUW

— Donostia Lagunkoia (@DSSLagunkoia) October 12, 2018

Women from across Europe shared their personal stories

• The one of a woman aged 65 that goes against restrictive stereotypes of older women
• The one of a female informal carer that faces difficulties to remain on the job
• The one of migrant women that end up being exposed to high risks of poverty in old age, due to limitations on pension entitlements and lack of control over financial resources
• The one of an older human rights champion committed to make the voices of older women’s heard

‘When I am an old woman I shall wear purple’
—from Warning by Jenny Joseph

Equitable ageing is as much about recognising ageism’s universal reach as it is about highlighting how ageing is different across gender. Ageing is a feminist issue. #AgeingEqualhttps://t.co/LgOtpZymUy

— Kazuki Yamada (@ikzauk) October 12, 2018

Do you want to share your experience of ageing? Contact us to give visibility to more examples of age discrimination with a blogpost. You can also use the hashtag #AgeingEqual to add your voice in social media!

And our community kept growing…

The #AgeingEqual campaign gained new allies during this week on gender, being supported by the European Women’s Lobby, the European Institute for Women’s Health, the European Network of Migrant Women, Women Against Violence – Europe, Eurocarers. 

You are more and more to take a stand against ageism! 

Inequality during a whole lifespan of a woman is amplified as she ages. Ageism and gender. #AgeingEqual @CKSrbije @HelpAge @EUICBG @UN4Ageing @pu_unece @UnfpaSerbia @Federation @ecapobianco #IDOP18 @sbsomersINPEA #ageism #HelpAgeNetwork

— Natasa Todorovic (@NataliTodorovic) October 12, 2018

DigitalInclusion is a particular challenge for many #OlderWomen, as public services are more and more digitalised @EP_GenderEqual @GabrielMariya #AgeingEqual https://t.co/FaMK1Qk7Zr

— Philippe Seidel (@PhiSeidel) October 9, 2018

La moitié des femmes contre un quart des hommes se sentent obligés de rester jeunes. Mettons fin à l'”anti-âge” dans l’industrie des cosmétiques et de la beauté !#AgeingEqual#GenderBasedViolence https://t.co/D8aklqXXmT

— Rfvaa (@RFVAA) October 8, 2018

The next week (15-21 October) of this 70-day campaign that will be dedicated to the impact of ageism on the capacity of older persons to enjoy social rights. Your further support and input to the campaign will again be crucial. Join the movement!

Together We Can Make A Difference!

Share your story using the hashtag #AgeingEqual
and help us shine a spotlight on ageism.